Do we admit power punching is as valid a style as "elusive" striking now?

[BigMuffler]

For a while it's seemed like there was a common bias against power punchers in terms of them being perceived as less "skilled" and an inferior style of striking compared to more evasive "technical" fighters. However with recent events -

Rumble braining Gus into Bolivian
Woodley almost braining Wonderboy
Nunes decisioning Shevchenko and outdoing Holly against Tate and Ronda
Garbrandt who was previously viewed by most as an unrefined power puncher DECISIONING Cruz (!)

Do we give up our elitism and accept power punchers aren't innately worse than evasive technicians? It's just a different style, they're not less skilled they're just not trying to look as "technical" because they're busier trying to get the killshot lol.

 

[tenniswhiz]

Yes

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

When was that in doubt? For every Ali you had a Foreman who was also great, or a Marciano. However, there's a lot of technique in throwing hard and landing - Foreman's punching technique, for instance, was very clean, as was Liston's, and Marciano's. They were not just strong guys; strongmen taking up boxing or MMA (like Pud) don't hit nearly as hard, because they lack that technique.

 

[skullmaskkid]

Cody isn't just a power puncher, he's a legit boxer with a 31-1 amateur background. He's more technical than anyone else at BW striking

the entire premise of this thread is wrong. Since Cody IS MORE skilled than Dom at striking

 

[dontlaugh]

Elusiveness doesn't come with 'flashy' styles only, there's ways of being elusive and still going for broke.

There's KO artists that are good a keep you guessing at close distance without doing much and make you eat their power punches.

Elusiveness is needed for every style of fighter, possible to win without it but everyone of the GOATS know how to be elusive in their own way, be it feiting and baiting with takedown threats and usual feint jab+something combo or just managing distance and being very mobile.

The thing is, nobody should rely ONLY in being elusive. Look at Machida to see it working and it not working.

 

[Apollo33]

Are you saying Cody wasn't elusive. He ducked and slipped almost all of Cruz's punches while landing his own hard shots. He cruzed cruz

 

[Heelhook71]

Cody proved he's very slick with solid boxing fundamentals as well as power today.

Nunez has always had power, but she's now not hyper aggressive, picks her shots and puts it all together. Which is why she's been so successful recently.

Rumble's striking has also come on in the last few years. He throws bombs, but they are technically sound punches.

Power punchers with skill have always been respected in combat sports. People throwing wild haymakers that can ko IF they somehow land not so much.

 

[Irishwhiskey119]

Nobody that knows fighting would say that all power strikers were dumb. Not sure where you read that but probably here and this is a forum full of mostly non fighting trolls so i'd be weary about taking some of these opinions seriously.